The case of Decarlos Brown Jr., charged with fatally stabbing a 23-year-old woman on a North Carolina commuter train, has renewed scrutiny of gaps in the state’s mental and behavioral health system, The Associated Press reported Sept 10. Despite what court records and other witnesses describe as clear signs of psychiatric distress earlier this year — including delusions and emergency calls — Mr. Brown did not receive a mental health evaluation until after he was charged in the homicide. The case is now a federal “flashpoint,” with advocates and officials pointing to missed opportunities for early intervention.
Here are six things to know:
- In January, Mr. Brown was charged with a misdemeanor for calling 911 multiple times from a hospital, claiming he was being controlled by foreign substances. Although his public defender requested a mental health evaluation, the court did not issue the order until July 28 — six months later. The evaluation was never completed.
- After Mr. Brown was charged in the stabbing incident, he was transferred to a state mental hospital for evaluation within a week — a marked contrast to the monthslong delay in the prior misdemeanor case.
- Individuals with lower-level charges like Mr. Brown’s January misdemeanor are referred to community forensic evaluators, which took an average of 18 days in early 2025. For felony cases, state hospital evaluations averaged 69 days, due to more intensive background review.
- Mr. Brown’s mother reportedly tried to initiate an involuntary commitment earlier this year when she claimed he became violent. Despite a schizophrenia diagnosis from doctors, court approval requires proof the person poses an imminent danger — a threshold often hard to meet or sustain once the individual is briefly stabilized.
- Former New York City Police Department Chief Kenneth Corey said Mr. Brown’s case reflects “multiple failed opportunities” across both the mental health and criminal justice system. Experts cited a lack of integration between law enforcement, courts and behavioral health services.
- The U.S. Department of Justice has charged Mr. Brown federally, and the Federal Transit Administration has launched a review of Charlotte’s transit safety — including spending on behavioral health and security.
